Lifetime Cafe
by Piece of Peace
Summary: Heero, a lonely, mysterious young man starts a new life in Copenhagen, Denmark and begins by working at a doomed cafe and also meets Relena, a girl who is able to break his hard, lifeless shell and gets to look inside... AU with HxR and others.
1. Chapter 1

(Heero is a mysterious young man who had just happens to end up in Copenhagen, Denmark and works at a doomed café. This story will sort of be an alternate universe of the modern world where some things will seem like it takes place during a Victorian or late 19th century Europe kind of era along with some possibly ancient things mixed with things you see today.)

Chapter One

Welcome to Copenhagen

It was a bright, young and beautiful morning when Heero woke up on the boat he had been traveling in for just a few days along with others. Just mere minutes ago, the ship docked in a harbor in a city somewhere.

"Alright get and wake up! I need to get back home okay?" barked the captain to everyone sleeping on the boat. The man had to say it a few times and finally everyone from inside and on the exterior of the boat woke up. These were mainly poor people who couldn't afford to take luxurious or moderate class ships for sailing and instead were forced to take an old and poorly made boat.

After he got up, Heero got off the boat and upon taking his first step on whatever country he was in, took a look around from his position in the harbor. Though it wasn't a very good look, he could see that there were nice buildings around. But after looking around for just seven seconds, a man dressed in a uniform and so unlike the captain of the shabby boat came to everyone who had gotten off it.

"Good morning ladies and gentlemen!" he greeted gleefully. "If you will, please follow me to the registration office where you'll apply for your visas." Everyone including Heero himself did as they were told. They got inside a building where they all stood in lines and he wasn't quite sure what was going on until he at last got to meet with the woman standing at the desk where a sign that said 'registration' was on it.

"Hello sir and welcome to Copenhagen, Denmark" she said formally letting Heero know now what country and city he was in. "How many people are you traveling with?"

"Just myself" Heero answered.

"And how long do you plan to stay in Denmark?"

He wasn't sure what to say for that. "May I know what staying periods are allowed?..."

"Well sir, you can stay for just a few hours until your next form of transportation comes, or you can stay a few weeks, a month or indefinitely" the clerk explained. He chose indefinitely.

"All right sir, that'll be just fifty euros for now and for any other half years you stay, we will ask you to pay ten more each unless you become a citizen" This time Heero was worried. He had spent every single penny he had just to let that boorish captain on his boat…

"But I don't have any more money…" he tried to explain.

"Well you may stay here but you must earn money somehow to pay for your visa" she said which made Heero relax a bit and she handed him a piece of paper. It was a permit that said he could stay in Denmark but not quite a visa. It would soon expire. For a while now, Heero had been running around from place to place and decided he had had enough of it. He could at least stay here for a while and plan what he would do next. And in order to pay for this visa, he'd need a job.

Relena did her best to clean the small café she and her friends owned in Copenhagen. Well, sort of. Really it was Dorothy that owned it, but the four of them which also included Hilde equally shared responsibility. It wasn't in the best of shape, but she hoped that it wouldn't scare away any of the customers. The wood was old and not healthy looking and the eating utensils were rusted and the furniture wasn't very… clean. And not to mention none of them were great cooks or chefs…….

'Ohhh…if only we had more money…' Relena sadly thought. And to add more to their poor quality café, the business was starting to fail. It just cost so much to pay the bills and taxes for the place and the customers so dissatisfied with the café shied away from it too. She took a seat in one the chairs at a table and laid her head down thinking. Then a thought hit her. She and other girls could hire people! But with skills… and no one wanted to receive so little pay since they couldn't spare much. But it was worth a shot. She immediately put a sign up on the window which said 'Now Hiring.'

'I just hope someone comes…' Relena thought closing her eyes and placed her palms against each other as if she were saying a prayer.

Heero walked quickly around the city looking for a possible place to work which he had been doing so for at least a few hours now. From what he could although he hadn't bothered to pay too much attention, Copenhagen was an active city. Here some freelance performers were having a circus of sorts in the town square with spectators watching. Other entertainment included jazz musicians and there were also a small fighting tournament. But he would have time to see it all later. Now that he thought of that, where was he going to find a place to stay for his time here?

'Damn…' Heero thought. But for now he would worry about one thing at a time. He wasn't too bad for a cook and he wasn't such a bad 'housemaid' either. Was it possible to find employment as a cook or a maid? Maybe, but he didn't know where to look.

His stomach growled.

'I need a job, a place to stay, and now food to eat… and no money…' he hopelessly said mentally. What was he going to do? He felt really down now and-

Heero collapsed to the ground and fainted.

Hilde was passing by enjoying the jazz music being played at the town square. It was what she liked to do in her leisure time and it simply took her away from her worries at the café she worked at since it was failing. One particular musician she was eying was a young man with a long brown braid with dark sunglasses and clothes playing a saxophone. Near him was the saxophone's case where a few coins and some small note euros in it. She stepped closer until she couldn't get any closer because of other people, (most notably girls). Still, she was able to get a fair view if not the best, but when she finally got there, the long braided musician stopped playing and had finished his music already.

"Alright, thanks a lot ladies for coming to see me play this afternoon" he said closing his case with his sax back in. "I'll be sure to come back soon for you all. Wait for me ok?" As he began to walk away, some of the girls began to moan in disappointment. Hilde wasn't sure, but she thought she saw him wave a hand to either her or some other girl near her.

'Oh… he's so dreamy…' Hilde thought infatuated. But unfortunately it wasn't as if she could ever get to know him or anything. Putting that aside, she began to head back to the café to get to work, but when she took her first step into the direction where the café was at, someone collapsed possibly from fainting or something like that.

"Hey, are you alright?" she asked the young man who just fainted shaking him. His appearance was a bit unusual for her. It wasn't often that you saw people dressed in raggedy, old clothes but that had nothing to do with what was going on now. He needed her help.

To be continued…

(It'll get better.)

I will also make this fic have guest appearances or guest starring characters from other animes. I'm thinking about putting Rurouni Kenshin in some time sooner or later.

And do make a comment or a review!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Employment Accepted

"Relena, we can take care of our own café by ourselves. We don't need any help" Dorothy said in defiance with her hands on her hips to Relena's want for an extra hand. She had gone to the market place to go grocery shopping and was stunned to see a 'Now Hiring' sign on the front window. Sure, the café could use some cleaning and renovation but all the girls had to do was… well find the time.

_And Money._

"But Dorothy, come to your senses. You know we need help. We won't be able to get anywhere unless we can get enough people" Relena tried to explain.

"But how are we going to pay any new employees? We hardly have enough to keep this café itself alone"

"Yes, but things will improve and we'll earn more money which is going to allow us to afford to improve it as well have more money for ourselves" Relena continued.

Dorothy sighed and looked at Relena knowing that there was probably no better way and that she was right. But it would take a miracle. They couldn't just take anyone. He or she had to be someone of such great skill for cooking.

_And willing to accept low pay too._

"Alright Relena, fine then. But we can't simply accept anyone. We need a chef extraordinaire because that's the only thing that'll pull us through this"

"Well I suppose you're right… but we're in no position to have such a person… so what are we going to do?"

"You just leave that to me Relena" Dorothy said unsure if they would get a potential employee and give him or her 'the test.' This test would hopefully get her and the girls out of their financial problems as well as have a wonderful cook.

'Let's see…' Dorothy thought in preparation.

"Help!" Hilde shouted out loud at the town square in Copenhagen. Just a few seconds ago, a guy had fainted and collapsed and here she was not knowing really what to do. In response, some people had come over to see what the commotion was all about but they just stood there watching. "Well c'mon people! Help me get this guy to a hospital!" And do answer her plea, a woman came over from the crowd. She had long blonde hair that was divided into two ponytails that hung over her shoulders. She kneeled her head down and listened or felt for a heartbeat of the stranger.

"He seems to be alright but he must be very tired. Do you know if he's eating properly?" she asked.

"Well I don't know… I just found him on the ground a moment ago" Hilde explained.

"Alright, let's put him over our shoulders" she quickly said. Cooperating, Hilde put one of his arms over herself and the other side was over the woman's. They carried him for a while until they reached a wagon. "By the way, my name is Sally Poe. I'm a student at a medical college. He seems to be suffering from over exhaustion and worrying. He just needs to simply get some rest and proper food. Since you don't know him, we could just leave him at a hospital, but really it's unnecessary though" Sally explained as they walked. After a few minutes not knowing where she was going, they came up to a wagon taxi.

"Excuse me, but can you take us to the hospital?" Sally asked the driver putting Heero on board with Hilde getting along.

"Alright then" the man said and with a 'getty up!' the pair of horses attached to the wagon sped to life.

Hilde looked at the stranger she found. Sally had said all the guy needed was some food and rest right? And going to a hospital meant medical bills which she nor her friends could afford for it was too much. Besides, it was just taking in a guy for a short while right? No big deal. "Wait, we can go to my café. My friends and I can look after him until he gets better" she said.

Some minutes later, the wagon arrived at the café Hilde had given the driver directions about. Sally helped Hilde carry the stranger over inside. But Hilde was surprised to see a sign on the window.

Now Hiring!

Chef/Cook Wanted

(Professionals Only)

"Hilde? What happened? Who are they?" Relena asked with Dorothy following behind as she saw Hilde and another woman place a young man at one of the chairs leaning on a table.

"This is Sally. She helped me carry this guy over here and he collapsed on the ground at the town square. She says all he needs is food and rest. I hope it's ok if he stays here until he gets better" she answered.

"So you guys will be alright then?" Sally asked.

"Yes" Hilde said. "By the way, these are my friends Relena and Dorothy. We run this poor little café of ours together"

"If you're getting' off here, then somebody please pay me" the driver tried to call politely from outside waiting.

"Oh! Here, let me pay for the taxi-"But Sally had already glanced around the poor quality of the place and assumed that it might make her… guilty to make them pay.

"No, it's alright. It was me who got the wagon so I'll pay for it. Besides, I need to get back to college anyway. Bye bye" she said as she left with the wagon.

"It was nice to meet her, but who's our quiet little guest here?" Dorothy said looking at the stranger sleeping at a table.

"I don't know. Let's ask him when he wakes up" Hilde said.

"But until then, we have to get back to work" Relena said. And so that was that.

Heero awoke after a few hours. He was sitting down leaning on a table. He took a quick look around his surroundings and guessed he must've been at a restaurant. But it looked like a stereotypical pirate ship or an old abandoned building. But how did he get here? He remembered while walking in town, he just suddenly collapsed and then… and then what else?

"Are you hungry?" said a voice. Heero looked over and saw a girl coming over. She was pretty and had long honey blonde hair along with blue eyes.

His stomach growled again. Oh yeah, that.

"Yes" he answered her and she handed him a plate of ravioli with meat sauce on it. He took it from her and started it. Even though he was very hungry, he made sure not to eat rudely or quickly without his manners. The girl joined him and took a seat by the same table.

"Hi, I'm Relena. My friend Hilde and a medical student found you earlier today and brought you here. We and my other friend Dorothy own the Liftetime Café right here. They'll be back in a few minutes. But the café…. well…things aren't going well here." After a few moments she spoke again. "Oh and… don't worry about paying for the food. So who are you?"

While Heero listened to her and eat at the same time, he realized that even in his hunger that ravioli wasn't top notch. Nevermind that it was certainly mediocre not that it was in his humble place to complain.

"My name is Heero Yuy."

"So is it true that you fainted on the ground?" she asked. He nodded. "Well, let me be the first to welcome you to Copenhagen. Why are you here?"

"I… I was just…" he began not sure how or what he should say. "I traveling the world and looking for a place to live" he lied. Relena looked at him not sure if she should believe him or not but before she had time to think of something else to ask, Hilde and Dorothy came in from the front door.

One was a girl with short, dark hair with some long sharp bangs over face and the other had the longest light golden blonde hair Heero had ever seen and her long pointy eyebrows made her look like someone feared enough to be respect. Even with all that, she was still somewhat attractive though.

"Hey, you're awake! My name is Hilde. I was the who saved with that medical student" said the short haired girl.

The long haired one didn't speak when it seemed like she should but did eventually. "I'm Dorothy. You should be grateful for our generosity. Now be polite and introduce yourself. What is your name?"

Heero repeated himself.

"Alright then Mr. Yuy. Since you're well nourished by now and rested, you may leave our poor little café" Dorothy said and took a seat by the cash register and leaned and the table.

"I'm sorry about all this. But really think this café is going to close and soon. But thank you very much for coming. You're the first customer in all day" Relena explained. Heero nodded. It didn't matter much to him that they wanted him to leave. It was just like everyplace else. Only just this time he wasn't wanted.

Heero said good-bye to Hilde and stepped outside and wondered what the name of the café was. He looked over at it thinking that it would be his last glimpse at it and saw the sign posted on it.

Lifetime Cafe

Now Hiring!

Chef/Cook Wanted

(Professionals Only)

This was a job opportunity! If they took him, at least he wouldn't have to go back on the street. And he was an expert cook too so maybe they'd want him. And with the money he'd earn, he'd be able to afford to pay the expenses of the visa.

He stepped backed inside.

"Can I get a job here?" Heero asked suddenly. "I'm a good cook and can make all kinds of cuisines from a good variety of countries."

"You can? Is that really true?" Relena said, being the first one to speak and glad that someone had at least come for a job interview. Well kind of least.

"That's great! All we need is someone who can handle doing work in a kitchen, but this is more than we deserve! Glad to have you with us Heero" Hilde said also pleased.

"Wait just one minute" Dorothy commanded. "How do we know that he can really do what he says? He'll have to show us that he's worthy."

"Dorothy, don't you think you're being too picky? It's not like our café has so much prestige and fame that we only accept those fit some sort of qualification. We should accept anyone who wants to help" Relena said.

"Maybe, but we can't simply hire every hopeful who comes at our doorstep now can we? And they're not going to just work for free now are they?"

Oh yeah Heero thought. He should think of a pair salary for his services.

"Fine then. I'll make you all some dinner and show you what I can do" Heero boldly said as if he would prove her wrong. But Dorothy's eyes sharpened and she smiled.

"Ok, you may. But," she began with her index finger erect. "You have to use what's only available in our kitchen. A cook must be able to improvise well." It would be amusing to see how well he'd manage as some sort of entertainment. But if he really didn't impress her, she decided that they would give him a job to do something at least. She wasn't all that heartless.

When Heero saw what was available in the kitchen, he didn't worry too much. They had everything he needed except salad dressing. He looked around more closely and saw that there was a bottle of what seemed to be duck sauce.

She after all had said to improvise did she not?

"Alright then you two, I'll be nicer to him. I'm just trying to have fun that's all" Dorothy chuckled but the other two were frowning slightly in disapproval. They had been waiting for at least half an hour for Heero at a table for three. They had all been starting to grow impatient not that they were holding it against Heero but eventually he did come with three plates. In each one, there was what looked to be salads composed of cheeses, tomato pieces, krutons, and an unusually dark sauce all over it.

"What is it? This is good" Hilde said.

"Yes, it sure is indeed!" Relena said pleased as well.

But Dorothy hated to admit it, but it was true. It really was good. "Well Heero, this is just what I expected from a novice cook like yourself. By the way, what is this called? And I must say this sauce is… very sweet."

"Its something I created just now. And its duck sauce I put on the salad."

(Alright please send a review everyone! Was there anything I could've done to make the story better?)


End file.
